President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday left Accra for the Serbian capital of Belgrade, leading Ghana’s delegation to attend the 60th anniversary ceremony of the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The Non-Aligned Movement is a forum of 120 developing states that are not formally aligned with any major power bloc.
After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.
Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was one of the five historic founding fathers of the Movement. India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Indonesia’s Ahmed Sukarno, Egypt’s Gamel Abdel Nasser and former Yugoslavia’s Josip Broz Tito launched the Movement in Belgrade in 1961.
The Government of Serbia is, therefore, organising a commemorative event in Belgrade on Monday, October 11 and 12 to mark the 60th anniversary of the first NAM Conference.
According to a statement from Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said President Akufo-Addo will deliver a statement at the Conference, reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to the principles of the Movement.
He will also hold bilateral talks with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vučić, aimed at strengthening the ties of co-operation between the two countries.
President Akufo-Addo is also expected to meet the Prime Minister of Algeria and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, on the sidelines of the Conference, to discuss matters of mutual interest.
President Akufo-Addo was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the daughter of Ghana’s first President, Samia Nkrumah, who is also a former Member of Parliament for Jomoro and former Chairperson of her father’s party, Convention People’s Party (CPP) as well as officials of the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will be acting as President of Ghana until the President returns on Tuesday, October 12.
“In his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead”, the statement concluded.
